This is something I've been wondering about recently, and I'm very interested in people's (in depth?) responses.

I have a billion things to work on, and a billion things that other people do better than me, so this isn't meant to be a "look how great I am" post (like every other post on this site...).

One thing that I'm particularly good at, though, is figuring out the best action to take and just doing it and sticking with it. Not always, but close. I figured out the best exercise program and still do it. Two years ago I decided that being vegan was the most healthy thing to do and have stuck with it since. I wanted to travel more so I left and am traveling the best way I can figure out. Blah, blah, blah.

Let's take cutting out sugar, for example. Sugar is never good for you. Period. I've heard weird justifications like "everything is good in moderation", but that's just not true. Eating sugar is always bad for you. White flour is the exact same as sugar - your body can't really tell the difference.

This isn't a matter of opinion, it is a proven scientific fact. Sugar is bad for you - it will increase your body fat percentage, it will increase your chances of getting cancer, and it will decrease your lifespan. Full stop.

Yes, we all know some dude who ate fudgesicles every day and lived to be 105. There are always outliers who are exceptions, but all scientific studies say that eating sugar is the root cause of a lot of bad things.

Yet I know a lot of very smart people who know these facts but still eat sugar.

WHY?

Another example is smoking.

Here's something that EVERYONE knows is terrible for you. There is no debate. Yet millions of people smoke. It is so stupid. If you are a smoker, how is your #1 priority not to quit RIGHT NOW?

How as that possible? Is there anything you could possibly do in your life that would bring you as much enjoyment as living way longer and not getting lung cancer or some other nasty ailment? No, there isn't.

I can't fathom how this happens. How do people, when confronted with these facts, keep eating sugar or smoking? It makes no sense to me. Is it going to get easier tomorrow? Nope. Today is the easiest day to change. Every day you allow a suboptimal habit is another day it gets entrenched in your mind and your identity.

Maybe it's peer pressure. A lot of people look to the general consensus or government to make decisions for them.

"Everyone I know does it. It can't be that bad."

"If it was really that bad, the government would ban it."

Or maybe it's fear of change.

"I don't like eating things like spinach. I've always eaten corn dogs."

WHAT? You're not willing to eat something moderately unpalatable (which you will certainly love within a month or two) in order to greatly improve your life?

I wonder if the real reason is that we're too used to everything being easy now. People are unwilling to take on any challenge other than constantly dealing with a life they're not thrilled with.

If we want to feel achievement we play a video game. If we want to feel happy we do drugs. If we want to experience excitement we watch a movie.

Anyway... if you eat sugar or smoke or do something else like that, I'd really be interested in hearing why in the comments.